Fuel distributor for combustion engines



July 15, 1930. E. RATHBUN 1,770,361

- FUEL DISTRIBUTOR FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 6, 1929 Patented July 15 1930 Enwann RATE-1311M, or-rorinno, onto l I FUEL ms'rinsn'ronnon coivrsu'srron, enemas Application filed May 6,

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to adsvice for distributing fuel oil from asingle source to a'plurality of cylinders, without the admixture of air. it hasbeen common effect such distribution through the 1116-: dium of a rotary valve lllre member which registers successively with the lines leading to the var ous '1n ect1on nozzles.

One of the ob'ects of tie resent inven} tion is to provide a simpler construction for this purpose, in its present: embodimcnt-v this involves the use of a rotatable continuously driven valve-like member which is so arranged thatit may be intermittentlysuh j ected to the high pressure of the fuel without stopping, the rotation of said member or causing injurythereto. The invention-also includes "various features of construction inns, illustratingone embodiment thereof "In the drawings: Figure 1 is'a centralvertical sectional View ofthe invention. a I

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1. p 7 y 7 Figure 3 is a perspective view or" the dis tributor valve detached.

tion is supported on a mounting 5 secured to a base 6. Secured to this mounting is a block 7, to which is secured a cup-shaped housing orvhead 8, providing a cylindrical outlet port 14 extends downwardly from this cavity through the valve to the valveseat 15, which is secured in the block and on which the valve 10 restsJ The valveseat 15 has a number of passageways 16 therethrough, with which the outlet 14 registers in turn as the valve rotates. It w1ll be .un-'

derstood that there isone out-let passageway Wliiclrwill be more particularly explained 7 in connection with the accompanying draW- As illustratedin the drawings, the invenehamber 9 within which a distributor valve 1929. Serial No. 360,715.

for each cylinder to be supplied, and each.

of these passagesleads through a passage- 1 "which. extends upwardlythrough the base 6,

the mounting 5, the block 7' and the valve seat 15 terminatingwithin' a cavity formed in thebottom oi the valve. A pin 20 in shaft '19 engages a recess 21' in the valve and'as sures proper assembling of the valve in relation to the shaft, 1 Thus the valve is positively driven by the shaft 19, but is permitted to have avery limited axialmovement with respect tothe shafhwithin theichamber 9;

The driveshaft 19 extends through asleeve 22 securedwithin the mounting 5,fwithin which the shaft hasa slight. clearance. The upper portionof thefshaft' is reduced and extends through a chamber 23 in the block 7 I and through the valve seat 15 within which it has a clearance-as shown atQd;

10 areadapted to be continuously 'rotated,

and duringthis rotation the valve port 14' registers successively with the outlet pas- 'sageway's 16. The oil is intermittently supplied to the distributing chamber 9 and the "cavity 13 under very high pressure, the pressure being created by an oil pump, as will [be understood bythose skilled in the art, The pumpstrokes are timed to take place during the period ofre-gistrationof the valve port to the respective passages 16. The time of such registration is short, and the high pressure occurs only during the intermittent operation ofthepump and is relieved during the subsequent movement of the valve to bring the por let into registry with the next outlet passage 16. There is sufficient clearance between the valve and the .Wall of the vl'valv e 'chamberito permit the oil to work around the valve during high'pressure and betweenthe valve and its seat when the pres- "sure is relieved. This causesa film of oil to bemaintained at all times between the valve and itsseat, thereby permitting a free rotation of the valve, since it is found in pi actice that the highpressure on the valve is not maintained long enough to expel such film. The oil, as it continues to work underneath the valve during its operation, drains downwardly around the upper portion of the shaft into the chamber 23. A collar 25 carried by the shaft directs this oil into the annular space 26 surrounding the sleeve 22 whence it is discharged through the opening 27 and may be returned to the pump. In order to maintain the port 14 in communication with each passageway 16 for the desired length of time, the lower end of the port 14 may be elongated'as shown at28.

The distinctive feature of this invention is that a continuously rotating distributor valve may be used in engines in which the fuel is injected under extremely high pressure. This pressure may be directed against the valve without interfering materially with its rotation, provided the pressure is relieved for sufficient intervals to permit the lubrication of the valve seat in the manner described. In connection with this mode of operation, the extreme simplicity of the construction is of the utmost importance.

I/Vhile I have shown and described in considerable detail the'preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that various modifications may be made therein without departing materially from the scope of the invention as claimed.

I What Iclaim is: r a

1. In combination, a pipe through which fuel oil is suppliedintermittently under pressure, a valve seat, a constantly rotatable distributor valve arranged to be urged against said seat by pressure of the oil supply, a head within which the valve is confined,said valve being relieved from the head throughout the greater part of its inlet face and adjacent lateral surface, thereby permitting the oil to lubricate said seat between pressure im pulses.

2. In combination, a valve seat having a number of ports, a fuel distributor valve cont nuously rotatable on said seat to uncover said ports successively, and a cup-shaped housing cooperating with said seat-to form a valve chamber, said housing having a central .lDlGt intermittently admltting fuel of the valve opposite to said seat, said valve being relieved from the housing for the greater part of its surface,'thereby permitting oil to reach and lubricate said seat between pressure impulses.

3. In c ombination,.-a valve seat having a,

number of ports, a fuel distributor valve continuously rotatable on said seat to uncover said ports successively, a support for se id valve seat, a continuously rotatable drive shaft extending upwardly through said support and seat and having a driving connection with the valve, a housing cooperating with said seat to form a chamber for the valve, means for intermittently supplying valve, said housing having an inlet through which fuel is supplied intermittently under high pressure, said valve being relieved from the housing for the greater part of its surface, thereby permitting oil to reach and lubricate said scat between pressure impulses;

5. .In a fuel distributor, a valve seat having a number of ports, a distributor valve con-- tinuously rotatable on said seat to uncover said ports successively, a support for said valve seat, a continuously rotatable drive shaft extending upwardly through said support and seat and having'a driving connection with-thevalve, a housing cooperating with said seat to form a chamber closely surrounding the valve, said housing having an inlet for admitting fuel intermittently under high pressure on the side of the valve opposite said seat, said valve being relieved from the housing for the greater part of its surface, thereby permitting oil to reach and lubricate said seat between pressure impulses.

6. In a fuel distributor, a valve seat having a number of ports, a fuel oildistributor valve continuously rotatable on said seat to .uncover said ports in turn, a housing cooperating with said seat to form a chamber closely enclosing the valve, a drive shaft having a driving connection with said valve, means for introducing fuel oil intermittently under high pressure to said chamber on the side of the valve opposite to said seat, said valve being relieved from the housing for the greater part of its surface, thereby permitting oil to reach and lubricate said seat between pressure impulses.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD RATHBUN. 

